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Quantitation of complex brain function in children: preliminary evaluation using a nonhuman primate behavioral test
M G Paule1, J M Cranmer, J D Wilkins
1Division of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, Arkansas 72079.
Insights
This study evaluated children's cognitive function using an operant test battery (OTB) adapted from nonhuman primate research. Performance on learning and memory tasks showed age-related differences, potentially aiding in diagnosing learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Comparative Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- The operant test battery (OTB) is a tool for assessing complex brain function in nonhuman primates.
- Adapting the OTB for human pediatric use allows for comparative studies of cognitive processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of children aged 3-11 years in a complex operant test battery (OTB).
- To investigate age-related cognitive performance in children using tasks assessing motivation, discrimination, time perception, memory, attention, and learning.
- To explore the utility of the OTB in diagnosing childhood disorders like learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.
Main Methods:
- Twenty children (3-11 years) completed five operant tasks: Progressive-Ratio, Conditioned-Position Responding, Temporal Response Differentiation, Delayed Matching-to-Sample, and Incremental Repeated Acquisition.
- Task parameters were optimized for clinical assessment of cognitive function in children.
- Performance was analyzed for age-related trends and differences in specific diagnostic groups.
Main Results:
- Performance in the Incremental Repeated Acquisition, Delayed Matching-to-Sample, and Temporal Response Differentiation tasks demonstrated age-related effects.
- Children with learning disabilities or attention deficit disorders did not complete the Incremental Repeated Acquisition task, unlike their peers.
Conclusions:
- The operant test battery (OTB) shows promise for assessing cognitive function and identifying age-related performance patterns in children.
- Comparative analysis with nonhuman primate data may validate animal models for studying human brain function.
- The OTB could serve as a valuable tool for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood learning and attention disorders.
Abstract:
The performance of twenty children (3-11 years of age) in a complex operant test battery (OTB) was evaluated. The operant schedules, or tasks, used in the OTB were identical to those originally designed and currently used to assess complex brain function in nonhuman primate laboratory animals (monkeys). The OTB consisted of five operant tasks: 1) Progressive-Ratio [PR]; 2) Conditioned-Position Responding [CPR]; 3) Temporal Response Differentiation [TRD]; 4) Delayed Matching-to-Sample [DMTS] and 5) Incremental Repeated Acquisition [IRA]. These operant tasks are thought to engender responding indicative of processes associated with: 1) motivation; 2) color and position discrimination; 3) time-perception; 4) short-term memory and attention; and 5) learning, respectively. The parameters for each of the tasks in the OTB were optimized for use in the clinical setting to assess cognitive function in children. In the small population studied, performance in the IRA, DMB and TRD tasks was age related. Of the four 6-yr-olds studied, only those categorized as having either learning disabilities (LD, n = 1) or attention deficit disorders (ADD, n = 2) did not complete the "learning" task. By comparison of human and monkey performance in the OTB, we also hope to validate the use of laboratory animal models in research efforts designed to yield insight into complex human brain function. It is also hoped that assessment of children's performance in the tasks in the OTB will assist in the diagnosis and treatment of certain childhood disorders such as learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders.